King Arthur Baking’s CEO on keeping America’s oldest flour company in the mix

AP Business Writer

America’s oldest flour company opened in 1790, when George Washington was president. But little could have prepared King Arthur Baking Co. for the coronavirus pandemic, when demand for its products jumped six-fold almost overnight. The employee-owned company scrambled to manage supply chains and to ramp up production. King Arthur CEO Karen Colberg says interest in home baking hasn’t subsided along with the virus and that home bakers are experimenting with more complex ingredients. The company based in Norwich, Vermont, hopes to tap into the ongoing enthusiasm and to grow its market outside of New England by opening a handful of baking schools around the country. Colberg expects the first to open in early 2026.